A longstanding problem which continues to affect most vehicle owners is the situation in which the driving wheel or wheels are stuck in snow or mud and particularly when a hole or rut is formed while the operator has attempted to extricate himself from this circumstance.
Numerous devices have been proposed in the past with varying degrees of effectiveness, but none have been totally satisfactory in dealing with such problems. Some are reasonably successful for those situations requiring merely some additional friction to prevent slipping between the tire and the ground surface. However, none really address the problem encountered when a relatively deep hole or rut is formed in initial attempts to move the wheel from the soft earth or snow.
Representative of the prior devices are the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,708,117; 3,997,110; 1,574,729; 1,468,023; and 1,324,291.
Of the many forms and designs, ranging from flexible strips to rigid plates, none appears to be satisfactorily helpful in the difficult situation of being mired helplessly in a deep rut or hole. Many motorists have experienced such a situation, and without the aid of several helpers, have had to rely on an expensive tow truck service call to receive effective aid.